Eye shield



Feb. 2 2, 1944. M L 2,342,377

' EYE SHIELD Filed a '27, 1940 I Z Z Q5, (ZZZ,

Patented Feb. 22, 1944- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EYE SHIELD Ralph D. Small, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 27, 1940, Serial No. 337,512

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a visionprotecting and improving device, and more particularly to an adjustable eye shield.

An object of the invention is to produce a protective device of simple and effective construction for protecting vision by deflecting or occluding interfering light, dust, rain, and other impedimenta. A further object is to provide such a device which is adjustable and tiltable to enhance vision, eliminate glare, and provide a contour fitting the device to the particular curvature of the forehead and other features of the wearer. A still further object is to provide a protecting shield device which may be readily supported upon eye glasses of various types or other menrbers to permit swinging the shield into diiferent angular positions while at the same time gripping the glasses in such a manner as to eliminate undesirable vibrations, etc. A still further object is to provide a shade and nose frame support therefor in collapsible or foldable relationship. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a plan view of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a front view in elevation; Fig. 3, an enlarged transverse sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detail sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a bracket support or anchor which may be employed in the structure; Fig. 6, a perspec tive view of a clamp member employed with the anchor shown in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7, a broken plan view illustrating a modified form of structure embodying my invention.

In the illustration given, A designates the main shield body; and B, side shields adjustably secured to the main shield A.

The main shield A consists of a thin strip of material formed of light shielding material of a suitable type. I have found that opaque cellulose acetate or other plastic material, in sheet or molded form, and other like materials may be used, and because of their light weight, are quite desirable. The material may be extremely light and thin, say, from .090 to .015 inch thick, and the weight need not exceed one ounce. Preferably, the outside of the article is polished, but the inside is dulled to prevent glare.

The shield A is shown provided with a' pair of anchor members Ill secured by rivets I I to the shield. It will be noted that the anchor member ID is provided with a central cross bar I2 and with wing flanges l3, each of the wing flanges being provided with a perforation l4 adapted to receive the rivet H. As shown more clearly in Fig. 4, a clamping member 15 of brass or other suitable malleable metal extends above and about the bar l2, and clamps between it and the bar 12 a resilient rubber grip or bushing I B.

The rubber grip or bushing IE is adapted to grip the lens of a pair of glasses or the rim thereof, a spectacle support, or a nose frame support for the shade, such as illustrated in the drawing and designated by the numeral 11. The member I1 is provided with the usual rearwardlyextending temples 18. As far as the present invention is concerned, it makes no difference whether the member I! is in the form illustrated, carrying no lenses but serving merely to support the shade, or whether it is in the form of glasses provided with a supporting nose-piece or glasses equipped with a rim. The grip member i6 is adapted to engage either the glass itself or the rim or the support frame, providing a yielding but firm hold thereon. The grip member may be as shown, or may be of any suitable shape, but is preferably provided with elastic material which will prevent injury to the glasses or rim while at the same time firmly gripping the same and enabling the shade to be tilted in an upward or downward position thereon and hold its position, at the point to which it is tilted. The long fingers of the grip contribute toward preventing the device from tilting too far forward. The elastic grip structure provides greater precision in adjustability than is even found with a window-shade and with only a slight touch of the finger.

The main shield A is provided at each end with a downwardly-extending eave or flange I 9 which prevents light from entering the hinged gap. The flanges I 9 may be in the angular position shown, or they may be tilted slightly outwardly.

In order to adapt the shield A to the particular curvature of the forehead, I provide auxiliary shields 20 which are hinged upon the top portion of the shield A by means of rivets 2 I. The shields 20 are provided with a curvature of a smaller radius than the curvature of the inner edge 22 of shield A, thus adapting the shield to a contour line 23, indicated in Fig. 1 to represent a forehead of a smaller radius.

The side pieces or wings B may be formed of the same material as employed for the main shield A and may be secured in adjustable tilted relafor adjustably connecting the wing-shields B to the main shield A. If desired, the outermost leaf of the hinge may be attached to the innerside of the Wins.

In Fig. 7, I have shown the wing shield B provided with guides 27 and 28, adapted to slidably receive an extension shield 29. The extension shield is provided with a cutaway. central. portion 30 adapted to be received between the flanges 28 and 29 carried by the wing member B to enable the member 29 to be shifted rearwardlyor fore wardlyas desired. Thus, an increased shielding efiect may be produced by causing the wing shield to be extended rearwardly.

Operation In the operation of the device the shield A may be-securedto. the frame support, I? by causing the rubber gripv portion Hi to engage the rim, as. illustrated in Fig. 2. When thedevice is not in .use, thewingsmay be folded so as .to lie flat against the top of the wing frame, and the nose support and temples can fold flat against the underside of .said frame, .to provide a thin collapsible structure. Should glasses be worn with or without rims, these may likewise be attached to the grip members, and when the device is not in .use, thewings may'be folded against the top of the wing frame, as above.

In folding the device, the member [9 may be folded compactly toward the front or rear edge on the underside of the main shield,'and the wing members may be folded flat on the upper side thereof."

The cave portions or side edges of the mainshield, as Well as the wings,-are inclined inwardly in a forward direction so as to more sharply focus or define-the object observed-as well as to adjustmore" easily to different shaped heads and to allow free play of the temples of the spectacles or 7 glasses;

When the shade is worn, the frame A is supported above the eyes and the rear portion of the shade is brought againstthe forehead. In order to secure a conforming engagement with the forehead,.'the auxiliary shields 20' may be pressed rearwardly. In order to increase the sharpness of vision, as well as to protect the eyes from glare, dust, rain, and other impedimenta, the end members Bmay'bepressed downwardly to a vertical or-outwardly tilted position. This exclusion of the light results in sharpening the focus and increasing the vision, while atthe same-time pro-- tecting the eyes and increasing the comfort'of-the wearer. It will be noted that the wearer "can readily tilt the main frame A upwardly or;downwardly as desired, the glasses rim or rim of-the frame supportpmvidinga fulcrum-or pivotfor' the gripping members 15y Thus; an extremely lightweight shade is provided which enables. the

light-tobe, admitted orexcluded aboutpthe glasses oreyes of the wearer to the extent desired. The

shade extends. not only in front of the eyes, but alsotothe rear of the eyes, the side piecesextending bothzin' front of and .rear. .of the. frontiof. the.

eyes. These side wings or shields operate entirely on the outside of the temples of spectacles. The supplementary shields 2i] and 29 may both be pivotally supported, as well as slidably supported, for providing a light sealing closure about the main shield A and wings B. Similar supplementary shield or shields may be employed to extend the front portion of the shield body, such supplementary shields being pivotally or slidably attached. For example, the two. supplementary shields, 20 and 2|, may be formed in one slidably mounted member, either for the rear or front portion of the main shield A. If desired, the side wings or pieces B may be swung to the same plane .assth'e main shield A and the entire shield and By employing a shield structure (A and B).

of extremely thin and light construction, as .illustrated, I have found that the entire structure can be worn comfortablyjwhen.supported upon theeye glass frame or'nose supportyjthusmak-i ing it unnecessary to employ-specific and separate temple'or band means for supportingthe shields.

The entire assembly,including glasses or nose frame support, when not in use, maybe folded and placed within a compact. case slightly larger than .is required for glasses;

ease and facility as the glassesnalone .mayfbe handled.

While in the foregoing description, I have 'set.

forth minute detailsv and1specific-structure in order that a cleanunderstanding of 'the inven tion-might be shown, it will .be understood that; such description is for the purpose of illustration: and that those skilled in the art may widely vary; such details without. departing-from the spirit of;

my invention.

, I claim:

1. In combination with a nose-piece. equipped with laterally-extending members and temples, a

shield body, means carriedby said shield :body

and providing elastic grips :havinga pair of spaced fingers on the under-portion of the-shield. body for releasably and pivotally engaging said-- laterallygextending members, means for. reinforcing and adjusting the spacing-between the two fingers of each of the two saidgripsand sideshield members pivotally. carried bythe end portions of said shield body, said. shield body. 1 being provided with downwardly extending eaves. at the end portions thereof adjacent said wing;

shields.

2. In a vision-protecting deviceof the class set forth,,a thin shield body, means carried by said shield on the underside thereof and adapted to engage a nose-engaging supporting member, and

forehead contour shields carried by said shield.v

body and adapted to be adjusted horizontally to-v ward or from. the forehead.v

3. In a visiOn-protectingdevice of the class set forth, a shield body, means carried by saidshield on the underside thereof and adapted to fric-o tionally engage a nose-engaging. supporting device, and auxiliary shields carried by saidshield body and movablethereon to close-an .area between the shield bodyand. the forehead of the wearer.

4. In. combination,-..a frame member. adapted The. shield and" glasses are handled with. substantially the. same to rest upon the nose and equipped with laterallyextending frame portions and with temples, a shield body, resilient spring gripper members carried on the underside of said shield body for gripping the frame members to support the shield body thereon in a desired angular position, said gripper members being adjustable to engage and grip frame members of different sizes and being movable about the frame members to tilt the shield body, the gripper members being frictionally held in any position to which they are moved whereby the shield body when tilted is frictionally held in such position.

5. In combination, a frame member adapted to rest upon the nose and equipped with laterally-extending frame portions and with temples, a shield body, gripper members carried on the underside of said shield body and gripping said frame members to support the shield body in a desired angular position, each of said gripper members including a pair of spaced fingers adjustable with respect to each other to engage and grip frame members of different sizes, the gripper members being movable about the frame members to tilt the shield body and being frictionally held in any position to which they are moved whereby the shield body when tilted is frictionally held in such position.

6. In combination, a frame member adapted to rest upon the nose and equipped with laterally-extending frame portions and with temples, a shield body, a pair of gripper members carried on the underside of said shield body and gripping same frame members to support the shield body thereon in a desired angular position, each of said gripper members including spaced fingers provided with a resilient material and adjustable with respect to each other to engage and grip frame members of different sizes, said gripper members being movable about said frame members to tilt the shield body and being frictionally held in any position to which they are moved whereby the shield body when tilted is frictionally held in such position, and side shield members pivotally carried by the end portions of said shield body, said side shield members being tiltable independently of said temples and being frictionally held in any position to which they are tilted.

RALPH D. SMALL. 

